212 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



July 9, 1910. 



FRUITS AND FRUIT TREES. 



FHUIT EXPORTATION FROM NATAL. 



In the last issue of the A<ji-icid(ural A^eirs, a partial 

 abstract was presented, of a report on the export of citrus 

 and other fruit from Natal to England, for 1909, which has 

 been given recently to the (tovernment by the Commercial 

 Agent for Natal in London. The present article completes 

 the abstract of this report, which appears in full in the Natal 

 Agricultural Journal for March 1910. 



In regard to the question as to whether fruit should be 

 consigned direct to salesmen, or through general agents, the 

 opinion is given that where a completely reliable broker is 

 employed, there is no necessity to requisition the services of 

 a general agent. The value of the services of the latter is, 

 however, recognized in the following ways, especially in the 

 matter of handling large consignments: the quantity of fruit 

 to be placed on the market at one time can be regulated by 

 him; he can arrange for fruit to be held in cold storage for 

 better prices, or for its distribution to other markets: he 

 can find other salesmen or auctioneers if he thinks that 

 the interest of shippers can be served better by his doing 

 this; he serves a useful purpose in providing a handy means 

 for ordering and shipping the packing material required where 

 the fruit is grown 



The names of the private salesmen, auctioneers and 

 general agents given in the report are repeated here, without 

 prejudice to the claims of other firms to be considered: — • 



LONDON. Messrs. T. J. Pourpart, Covent Garden, W.C.; 

 George Monro, Ltd., Covent Garden, W.C.; and Charles 

 Kautfman, Central Avenae, Covent Garden (private sales- 

 men). Messrs. Garcia, .Jacobs k Co., Covent Garden, W.C.; 

 and Messrs. E. A. OKelly & Co., Covent Garden, W.C.; 

 (auctioneers); Messrs. Mitchell, Cotts it Co , 65, London Wall, 

 E.C., and Messrs. Perkins >t Adamson (general agents). 



HAMBURiJ. Ferdinand Kugelmann, 13, Xeueburg (private 

 agent). August .Stier, Hamburg, iS. Fruchthof, working in 

 conjunction with Messrs. Gustaf, Schoufield k Co., Kaiser 

 Wiljemstr. 47, Hamburg (auctioneers). 



ANTWERP AND ROTTERDAM. MeSSrS. B. A M. SpiclS, 



trading as the Netherlands South African Fruit Company, 

 Leuvenhaven, 38, Rotterdam (agent). 



PARIS. Messrs. Omer Decugis et Fils, 57, P»ue Saint 

 Denis, Paris: and M. Hollier, 13, Jtoulevanl I'oehechouart, 

 Paris (agents). 



With regard to the matter of advertising/ the following 

 is a broad exjiression of the methods suggested: (1) the distri- 

 bution of samples of fruit among the principal hotels, cater- 

 ers and retail fruiterers, throughout the country where it is 

 to be introduced; (2) the insertion of neatly printed card.s, 

 describing the special qualities of the fruit, in the trays and 

 boxes in which it is exported; (3) the distribution of attractive 

 bills, for displaj- in fruiterers' shops and stores: (4) the insertion 

 of attractive advertisements in all the fruit papers, and the 

 chief dail}' papers; (5) the provision of money to be used in 

 giving illustrated lectures, in the countries to which the fruit 

 is exported: and (6) exhibits at the Royal Horticultural Hall. 



Advice is tendered, in connexion with the export of fruit 

 during the coming season, and this is presented below, in so 

 far as it is of interest in the West Indies: — 



Pineapples. The best packing material has been found 

 to be corn husks, which should, above all things, be dry. The 

 fruit was shipped from the Cape in boxes of three sizes, the 

 outside measurements of the middle one being 28^ x 13i x 

 5| inches: there were three boxes in each bundle, and the top 

 one, only, was lidded. It is suggested that, for the Cayenne 

 pineapple, the box known as the Azores half case, which is 

 22 inches square and 9 inches deep should be used. The 

 box recommended for the (^)ueen pine is one which will take 

 ten and twelve fruits, according to size, allowing for sufficient 

 packing. For pines of a good class, the boxes should be 

 shipped singly and not bundled together in threes, two of 

 which are not provided with lids, as this gives the fruit 

 a 'cheap' appearance. During carriage at sea, ventilation 

 appears to be better than cold storage. 



Information is given with regard to the season of ship- 

 ment of pineapples from other countries. From this it 

 appears that the Florida pine reaches England between May 

 and August, and is sold at 9c?. to Is. each, at first. The 

 seasons and prices for the Jamaica pine (bull head variety) 

 are as follows-: January to early in March, 3s.: April, 

 4s.; April to August, 2s. to 3s. per dozen. Ripley pines 

 from Jamaica obtain, during March, 4s. to 7s.; April to 

 end of June, 6s.; July, 5s.: and August, 4s. per dozen. 

 The bulk of the Azores pines is shipped between October 

 and Maj', when an average of 1,500 to 2,000 cases arrive 

 every ten days. If these are in good condition they 

 obtain the following average prices : case of twelve Is. 4rf. 



to \.t. 6d.; case of ten, 2.s. to 2s. 

 to 3s. 6rf. 



3d; case of eight, 2s. 9(/. 



